Supporting means for car doors



Oct. 18, 1932. TQBIN 1,883,114

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR CAR DOORS Original Filed July 26, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 KEN/WE TH J 765ml M Oct. 18, 1932. K. J. TOBIN 1,833,114

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR CAR DOORS Original Filed July 26, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m ldH ins Oct. 18, 1932. K. J. TOBlN SUPPORTING MEANS FOR CAR DOORS Original Filed July 26, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 17V VE/VTOR KENNETH J 755W %MTTK5. 4

Oct. 18, 1932. K. J. TOBIN surron'rme mums FOR CAR nooas Original Filed July 26. 1-929 4 Shets-Sheet 4 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIII Illlllllll :fv VE/V TOE- KENNETH .7. 755W HT-rrs.

Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KENNETH J. 'IOBIN, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CAMEL ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS comrm, or onrcaeo,

surron'rnve means iron can Doons Original application filed truly 28, 1929, Serial No. 381,145. Divided and 1930. Serial 1V0. 474,929.

This invention relates to supporting means for car doors and concerns itself with a structure whereby the door is normally supported in frictional engagement with its track and.

is adapted to be elevated upon rolling means when it is desired to move the same, and in which the frictional engagement is effected by means of a rockable retainer for holding the rolling elements, and is a division of my copending application Serial No. 381,145 filed July 26, 1929.

' The invention comprises the novel structure and combinations of arts hereinafter described and more particu arly pointed out 3 and defined in the appended claims.

- In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views:

. door, parts being Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a house car door supported according to this invention and showing fragmentary parts of the house car.

Figure 2 is a fra mentary sectional view taken upon the line III of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows with parts omitted.

' Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 except that the door has been moved outwardly and rearwardly along the side of the car to its open position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the rear and right hand end of the broken away for the purpose of illustrating the rear endsealing mechanism. and Ice Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the car just behind the door opening on the line V-V of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a fragmentar sectional view upon an enlarged scale ta en on the line VI-VI of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a View upon an enlarged scale end which travels in this application fled August 13,

taken upon the line VII-VII of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the door in its lowered position.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional View similar to Figure 7 showing the door in elevated position.

' Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line IX-IX of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view taken upon an enlarged scale upon the line XX of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated y the arrows showing the bearing mechanism for the roller housing and the manner in which the operating lever connects the two.

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail end view of the eccentric roller housing bearing.

Figure 12 is an enlarged side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 11.

In referring to the drawings it will be noted that the invention has been illustrated in connection with a corrugated metal door 1 which is provided with a T member 2 at its upper a guide 3. The guide 3 has depending flanges 4 which are turned inwardly to provide a restricted throat through which the T head cannot pass with the result that an effective weatherproofing structure is obtained thereby. For the T head and the guide 3 may be so designed that the T 7 head comes into abutting relation with the flanges 4 when the door is resting upon its track especially in its closed position whereby the weatheris effectively excluded.

Upon the lower end of the door, there is a center casting 5 which is provided with a pair of spaced depending bearings 5a and a pair of end bearings 6 and 7 which are in the form of castings secured to the door and having outwardly directed flanges. The bearing portions 5a of the center casting and the outwardly directed flanges of the castings 6 and 7 have aligned bearing apertures 6a and respectively for a purpose that will later appear. The lower margin of the door is inwardly offset as indicated at 1a in Figures 6 to 8. This inwardly ofl'setfortion provides a shoulder which is adapte for frictionally engaging the inwardly and downwardly sloping margin 8 of a track 9 which is secured to the car beneath the door. A ball retainer comprising-a pair of spaced ball retainer sections 10 is carried by the lower portion of the door and the same is eceentrically pivoted so that the same may be swung relatively to the door. Each ball retainer section is in the form of a tubular member substantially oblong in cross section with the edges thereof however spaced apart to allow the balls therein to extend beyond the spaced edges thereof; A ball 11 is confined in each retainer section and is adapted for relative movement with respect there to in a longitudinal direction. The length of each section and diameter of the ball is such that the ball will travel from one end of its section to the other during the opening or closing movements of the door as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

In the outer end of each retainer section 10, there is secured a metal plug 12 by means of a rivet or the like. Each plug is provided with an eccentric bearing pintle which is journalled in the aperture of the end castings 6 or 7 upon the door. The inner end of each ball retainer section is also closed by a plug which is best shown in Figure 10. In referring to this figure, it will be noted that each plug consists of a portion 14 that is secured in the inner end of a retainer section 10 and an adj acent portion which is journalled in the bearings 5a of the center casting. The bearing portions of the center plugs that fit in the arms 5a are indicated by the reference numeral 15 and in referring to Figure 12 it will be noted that they are eccentric with respect to the portions 14 that fit within the ball retainer sections. The eccentric portions 15 are provided .with flat sided terminals 16 which extend toward each other into substantially contacting relation as shown in Figure 10 and an operating lever 17 is secured to these flat termin ls 16. The lever 17 is preferably provid with a hub having an oblong aperture for receiving the flat sided terminals 16 so thatboth of the retainer sections may be simultaneously rocked upon their eccentric bearings. With reference to Figures 5 and 6 it will be noted that the end castings are provided with depending portions which overlap the track 9 and form guides for the car door.

In its normal position, the door 1 is frictionally supported upon the track 9 as shown in Figure 7 and in referring to this figure, it will be noted that the offset shoulder 1a on the door is in frictional engagement with the sloping portions of the track 8 and the inner edge of each ball retainer section is in frictional engagementv with the track 9, with the result that the door is frictionally held against movement. When it is desired to move the door longitudinally for opening or closing the same, the lever 17 is swung outwardly as shown in Figure 8. This movement of the lever 17 will swing or rock the two ball retainer sections 10 upon their cccentric bearings and shift the door outwardly to disengage the shoulder 1a from the track 9 and to bring the two balls 11 into supporting relation with the door. This operation requires very little effort and to longitudinally move the door it is only necessary to pull or push upon the lever 17 while it is in its pulled out position as shown in Figure 8. As soon as the lever 17 is released, the door will automatically descend into the position shown in Figure 7 for it will be noted that the weight of the door acts in a vertical line which is eccentric or spaced inwardly from the pivots of the ball retainer and that the balls are positioned outwardly beyond the pivots. Consequently as soon as the lever is released, the door will drop downwardl and lower the ball retainer for engaging t e track. In Figure 2 the door is shown in its closed position while in Figure 3 the door is shown in its opened position and it will be seen that during the movement of the door from its closed position to its opened position the rollers 11 will have traveled from one end of their sections to the other end thereof. However, the balls are so arranged that the door will always be balanced.

Due to the fact that the door is supported .upon rollers which are easily susceptible of traveling transversely of the track 9 'as well as longltudinally thereof, it becomes very easy to move the door inwardly and outwardly with respect to the car. It will be noted that the guide member 3 in its cooperative relation with the T member 2 readily allows the lower portion of the door to swing outwardly and inwardly. This particular feature renders it possible to provide metal binding for effectively sealing the lateral margins of the door and to this end the lateral margins of the door are provided with vertical angle members 18, one at each lateral margin of the door. Each vertical angle member 18 has a short outstanding flange 18a and a longer outstanding flange 18?). The short flange 18a of the vertical angle 18 at the front edge of the door is adapted to pass 'under a flange 20 of a weather strip 19 as shown in Figure 2. It will be noted that theflange 20 extends in a direction toward the center of the door and approximately to the longer flange 186 with which it cooperates to form an effective weather- 'proofing feature or seal for excluding weather at the front edge of the door. An angular weather strip 21 is hinged to the side of the rear door post as shown in Figures 5 and 9 by means of suitable hinges 22. This weather strip 21 may be swung into a posi- 1,aaa,114

tion parallel with the car as shown in Figure 3 when it is desired to open the door. When the dooris closed, the weather strip 21 is adapted to be swung so that its forward flange will engage over the rear vertical anle 18 as shown in Figure 9. The short fiange 18a will allow the weather strip 21 to be tliuswise swung and the forward flange thereof cooperates with the long flange 18b of the vertical angular member on the door for effectively sealing the rear edge of the door and excludin the weather.

Mechanism has been provided for locking the swingable weather strip 21 in its operative position. While any suitable locking mechanism may be used, as a matter of illustration there is shown a hasp 23 that fits over a staple 24 upon the door with a member 25 passin through the staple. The member 25 is pre erably secured a ainst accidental displacement. It will rea ily be observed that the door can be moved inwardly on its rollers which readily travel in a transverse direction so that the weather strip 21 may be swung over the rear edge of the door for the purpose of sealing the same against the weather.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the door is effectively sealed around its whole perimeter when the same is in its closed position. For it will be noted that when the door is in its closed position, the

T head 2 will close the gap between the flanges 4 of the guide 3 and the offset por- 5 tion 1a at the lower margin of the door will engage the slopingportion 8 of the track whereby the top and bottom of the door are effectively sealed. The front end of the door in its closed position is sealed by the weather strip 19 and the rear margin thereof is sealed by the swinging weather strip 21. As previously stated, this weatherproofing structure is made possible through the vertical and lateral movements of the door which are brought about by the operation of the lever .17.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore'do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a door, of a track therefor, ball retainer sections eccentrically pivoted to said door, a ball in each retainer section, a lever connected between said sectionsfor simultaneously operating the same in a direction transverse of the door to elevate the door and support the same upon said by each retainer section for traveling movements upon said track, said retainer sections being normally in frictional engagement with said track and a lever connected to said retainer sections for rocking the same out of engagement with said track and elevating ghelaldoor for traveling movements upon said 3. In a house car having a door supporting track, a door, castings upon the lower portion of the door, ball retainer sections having eccentric bearings at their outer ends j ournalled in said castings, balls carried by said retainer sections for engagement with said track, a plug in the inner end of each section,

each plug having an eccentric lug and a lever I mounted upon said lugs for simultaneously rocking said retainers.

4. In a house car a door supporting track havmg a downwardly inclined inner margin, a door having a member with an inclined shoulder for engaging the inclined margin of said track, castings upon said door, ball retainer sections having eccentric bearing pivots at their outer ends journalled in said castings, balls in said retainer sections for engaging said track, and a lever eccentrically connected to the adjacent ends of said retainer sections for simultaneously rocking the same.

5. In a house car, a door supporting track a door, end castings upon sa1d door, spacedcenter castings upon said door, ball retainer sections having terminal eccentric bearing lugs ournalled in said castings, said retainer sections normally engaging said track, balls carried by said retainer sections for traveling upon said track and a lever connected to the inner bearing lugs of said retainer sections for rocking the same for the purpose set forth.

6. In a house car, a door supporting track, a door having means for frictionally engag- 1ng sa1d track, castings upon said door, a ball retalner having terminal eccentric lugs journalled in said castings, balls carried by said retainer for traveling movements upon said track, said retainer being designed for normally frictionally engaging said track and a lever connected to said retainer for rocking the same transversely for disengaging the same from the track and elevating the door.

7. In a house car, a door supporting track. a door, spaced castings upon said door, a ball retainer having terminal eccentric hearing lugs journalled in said castings, balls carried by said retainer for traveling engage-- ment with said track, said retainer being designed for normally frictionally engaging said track, and a lever connected to said retainer for rocking the same transversely for disengaging the same from said track and elevating the door for traveling movements upon said balls.

8. In a house car, a track, a door, spaced bearings upon said door, a ball retainer having eccentric bearing lugs journalledin said bearings, said retainer having a portion normally in frictional engagement with said track, balls carried by sald retainer for traveling engagement with said track and a lever connected to said retainer for rocking the same for disengaging the same from said track and elevating the door.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook County,

Illinois.

KENNETH J. T-OBIN. 

